Help from the Broken ONE SHOT
by savannavansmutsmut
Summary: Bella is broken, but doesn't see it, until a just as broken Edward, shows her the cracks in her distorted reality. Warning Violence against women and sexual abuse. There is a HEA, was originally donated under the name Jack and Jill.


**Warning:** violence against women and sexual assault.

There's a link to a site that finds women's shelters in your area on my profile. Please use it if you're stuck in a bad situation.

**BELLA**

I had just moved in with the Cullen's, they were my new foster family, my eighth one. They kept moving me, because my James kept finding me. I couldn't help but smile. I had been taken from my mother, when she encouraged my affair with my English teacher. Truth was, he was hot, and I think my mother had been hoping he'd ask her to join us, but that was never going to happen. He was only five years older than me and in his first year of teaching. I just hoped he could find another job and come and get me. I didn't want to stay here in another damn house for messed-up kids. I wasn't messed up.

I made my way to the bathroom and smiled when I saw the removable showerhead. I leaned back and took care of business. My moans filled the bathroom, and I was glad that it was mine alone. It would have been embarrassing if someone else was anywhere near me while I was doing that.

I relaxed and rinsed off, but when I turned the water off; I realized the sink was on. I hadn't turned it on. I poked my head around the shower curtain, and my eyes widened in shock. "Feeling better?" some asshole asked, as he put toothpaste on his toothbrush.

I just stood gapping at him. "What…what…what are you doing in my bathroom?" I shouted.

He just smiled at me and pointed to the linen closet door. "It's my bathroom, too, get used to it," he said shrugging. "Now get out, so I can get in. After listening to you, I've got something that needs handling myself," he said pointing to his boxers. He was definitely hard and almost poking out of them. I quickly looked up at him, furious at his intrusion, and glanced around, frantically looking for my towel, only to see him wiping toothpaste off his mouth on it.

"That's my towel!" I shouted. He tossed it to me, not caring, and snapped back the curtain before I could stop him.

"Get out," he ordered as he started pulling down his underwear. I hopped out and yanked the curtain closed, so he couldn't see me. I started drying off with my towel, so angry I would swear I wanted to find something to whack that jerk with.

I was silently plotting my revenge, when I realized my girly bits were burning and not in a good way. I looked down and cussed the bastard who had put toothpaste on my towel and had distracted me enough for me to rub it where it should have never gone.

"Shit, shit, fuck!" I started hopping around as I turned on the sink. I heard the curtain rustle, and that jerk's head popped out.

"You okay?" he asked looking surprisingly genuine.

"No, you bastard, your toothpaste got in my twat, and it burns like a motherfucker!"

He looked down at my towel and back to me, as I was frantically splashing water on myself to no avail. I was on the verge of tears, when he grabbed me and pulled me into the bathtub, snatching the showerhead and spraying it right on my toothpaste-covered pussy. It was still stinging, and I couldn't stop cringing. He grabbed a washcloth and started scrubbing me. "Shit," I cussed and slid further down in the tub. He rinsed out the rag several times, before it finally stopped burning.

I guess he noticed I had stopped cringing, because he finally focused on my face. "All better?" he asked, and he ran his knuckles over my pussy. It was odd, because it wasn't completely sexual, but more care in his touch. "I'm really sorry. I never even considered where you'd be drying off," he said from his perch between my legs. "It still looks red and swollen, though. Fuck, I'm so sorry. Does it hurt?" he asked gently caressing me again.

I felt my body start to react to him, and I think he could feel the change as well. His fingers lightly danced over my skin, teasing me, as if asking me if I wanted him to really touch me. I grabbed the showerhead from his hand and decided to get myself some relief. I aimed right at my sweet spot, letting my head fall back and my eyes close in pleasure. I felt him lean over me and pinch my nipples, and then he took them into his mouth. He shoved the showerhead away, and his hand replaced it. His mouth kissed and licked every part of my skin in front of him, focusing on my pert nipples. He was kissing my neck, as he yanked my leg over his hip, so his hand could get a better angle.

"Fuck," he cursed, and then his hand was gone, and I suddenly felt very full. He bit down on my shoulder and then my ear, but not nearly as hard as James would have. "Damn, baby," he grunted out.

He grabbed the showerhead and shoved it so it was spraying my clit hard. I bucked hard into my orgasm and felt his dick kicking wildly in response. We came down slowly, him collapsing on me and panting hard, trying to catch his breath. "Fucking hell," he said resting his forehead on my shoulder. His hand randomly wandered to my breast. He kissed my neck and then sat back across from me in the cramped tub. He leaned his head back on the shower wall and closed his eyes. He looked upset and worried.

I tried to shift, so I could get up, but my legs were still too weak. He saw me try to get up again and stood up, pulling me up into his arms. He stepped out onto the rug and opened what I thought was the linen closet. It wasn't, it was his room. He picked me up and carried me into it, laying me on his bed. He walked to his closet and came out with two towels, one on his waist and the other around his shoulders. He had a third in his hand and offered it to me. "I'm sorry I messed yours up," he said not looking up at me.

I sat up and started to dry myself off. He had his back to me. His posture looked sad and defeated. I stood up on my shaky legs and wondered if I should say something. "I'm just going…" I said pointing to the door that joined with the bathroom. I hurried through it, slipping a little, but I managed to keep myself from falling.

I pulled the blanket back and tossed my towel to the side. James liked me naked in bed, and I just wasn't used to sleeping with clothes on anymore. I dozed off into a fitful sleep. For some reason, that guy's reaction after we'd had sex was bugging me. My gut was twisting with guilt as well. It had been almost a year since I had been with James. As soon as he would find me, they would move me before we could get together. I knew I was his. He would be so pissed if he knew what had happened.

I woke to a warm finger trailing down my cold back. "Isabella," I heard a soft whisper in my ear. I had almost thought it was James, but when I opened my eyes, I was met with green eyes, not blue. "It's time for breakfast. Esme wanted me to get you up."

It was then I noticed that he was fully dressed, and I just had a sheet over me, only covering part of my body. His finger moved from my back, over my shoulder and down to my chilled nipples. His eyes were focused on mine, and I wondered what mine were conveying. "We need to eat," he whispered, and then his head dipped to my breast, sucking it into his mouth. I couldn't stop the moan that left me. He took it as encouragement and squeezed my backside, pulling me tighter against him.

"Edward, Isabella, we're waiting for you!" Mrs. Cullen called up the stairs.

He kissed the top of my breast and then slipped out of the room. I didn't know what the hell was going on with that guy, but I needed to stop it, before James caught up with me. I didn't want Edward to get hurt.

He didn't even look at me when we ate breakfast, and he ignored me as we rode to school. I had to admit, I was a little relieved.

At lunch, he was ignoring me, but the rest of the male population wasn't. I guess girls were slim pickings in this little Podunk town. I didn't consider myself a beauty queen, but I had to admit, a lot of the girls here left something to be desired. I guess the bad weather kept them all indoors gorging on junk food and playing video games. I didn't think there was a girl under a size sixteen in the whole damn school. My size seven body was a bit of a novelty, which ironically was considered fat at my old school. James said he liked my curves, so I never followed the dieting trends.

There were several boys vying for my attention, trying to claim a seat at my table. At the same time, the girls were all glaring at me. It wasn't my fault I looked good to these horny teenage boys. I did my best to be polite and told them that I was not available to date. Several of the boys seemed disappointed, while others didn't seem to care.

That night, I undressed in my bathroom and turned the water on in the shower so it would warm. I heard the creak of Edward's door and looked over to where he was standing in the doorway. "Come to brush your teeth?" I asked.

He gave me an apologetic smile and held up a washcloth, "Brought something to wipe my mouth this time."

I nodded in thanks and stepped into the shower, closing the curtain. I listened to the sounds of him brushing his teeth, and when he was finished, he slipped out of the room. I was confused. That had been the only interaction we'd had.

Once I was out of the shower, I took my time drying off and wrapped my towel around my hair, leaving my body naked, as I rummaged around looking for the toothpaste.

"Oh, I thought, um, you were done," Edward mumbled. He made to leave, but I stopped him.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked.

He looked up at me surprised and shook his head no. "I was sure you were mad at me."

His eyes were focused on the floor. I walked over to him and lifted his chin, so he'd look at my face. "Why would I be mad?"

He swallowed, "I took advantage of you."

The poor thing looked so ashamed. I didn't know how to fix it. "No, you didn't," I whispered and turned to leave. I felt his eyes burn into my back, so I glanced back and winked as I closed the door. He looked surprised.

I lay awake for some time, thinking of his words and the look on his face. He thought he'd taken advantage of me, and he was so ashamed. He looked repentant.

Thoughts of James flooded my mind.

_He'd asked me to stay after class. I was worried that I was in trouble. He had been looking at me darkly all hour. He had me the last hour of the day, and I was sure I would get detention for passing a note to Misty._

"_Ms. Swan," he said sternly, "Come over to this side of the desk and stand in front of me. I want to get a good look at you." _

_It didn't make sense, but I did as he asked. "I've heard rumors that you're interested in my physique, that you and your little friends find me attractive and wish you could pursue a relationship with me." He sounded so angry. I swallowed hard, feeling so ashamed. I didn't realize that he had heard the rumors. I was the worst of them all. I nodded slowly, mumbling my sorry. _

_He leaned down next to my ear, causing my whole body to shiver. He felt dangerous. "Do you want to pursue me, Ms. Swan?" The hand that had been resting on the desk next to me slid up my arm, sending chills up my spin. "Would you like to explore my physique?" His hands gripped my shoulders, and his nose nuzzled into my neck. _

"_Yes," I gasped out, sure that it was just another dirty dream. _

_He grabbed my hair, pulling my head back, and claimed my mouth. He was so forceful and all-consuming. There was no doubt that he wanted me, and it excited me. Every girl wanted to be wanted. _

_He was rough as he grabbed my breast and bit my neck. "We'll continue this at your home. I know your mother works late, so we can be alone." _

_We heard someone in the hall, and we pulled apart. "Won't you get in trouble? Won't they think you're taking advantage of me?" _

_He smirked as he pulled me tightly against him. I could feel his cock through his pants. "As long as they don't know, I won't get in trouble. You won't tell, will you, darling?" _

_I shook my head no._

"_Good girl, and yes, I'm taking advantage of you," he smirked as he squeezed my ass hard. "Now go, I have a lot to teach you tonight." He'd left his marks all over me that night. I was so confused, but he told me he loved me with every mark. I was his. He'd made me say it over and over._

I never thought of those first words until now. Edward was upset when he thought he had taken advantage of me. James loved taking advantage of me. I couldn't make sense of it all, but I did know one thing for sure. Edward and James were two very different people.

The next day, I showered and dried off, wrapping my hair up in a towel like the night before. I was ready to brush my teeth, but couldn't find the toothpaste anywhere. I heard some music coming from Edward's room and decided to ask him where it was. I knocked lightly and then opened the door, not waiting for a reply. Edward was lying in bed on his stomach, wearing a t-shirt and boxers, holding a book in his hand.

"Hey," I tried to get his attention. He put his finger up silently, asking me to give him a minute.

I crossed the room and stretched out next to him. He didn't acknowledge me for a moment longer. He finally grabbed a bookmark from the front of the book, saving his place and snapped it shut. He slid the book under his pillow and turned to look at me. His eyes trailed down my body, and I felt the urge to scoot closer to him, so I did.

His eyes went to mine. I could tell he didn't know what was going on. When I shifted closer, I leaned on my side, giving him a clear view of my breasts. He cleared his throat, "Did you need something?"

The towel fell from my hair, "I can't find the toothpaste. Mind giving me a hand?"

As I spoke, his hand had gone to my bare waist. He squeezed it lightly, like he was trying to keep from touching anything else. His eyes focused on my breasts. Just his eyes on them caused my nipples to tighten up more than they were. He started breathing hard and then looked up at my face. His hand slid up to my breast. He never took his eyes off mine, as if he was waiting for me to stop him. He was different, and even though I knew it was wrong, I wanted to explore different. I let out a soft mewl as he pinched them, teasing me lightly. When his lips hit my breast, I held his head in place and rolled onto my back. He was hovering over me, and he was attacking me frantically, but ever so softly at the same time. It felt so amazing, it was indescribable. I didn't know that this could feel so good. His soft, gentle nature washed over me as he took me, his eyes checking mine with every inch, and then every few moments, just to be sure I was still okay. He kissed down my neck, nipping lightly. It was soft and teasing. It didn't hurt the way he did it. The way Edward did it seemed to enhance the experience.

His hand went between us, and he started rubbing my clit furiously. "Please, come, come on, baby, come," he begged as he pounded into me, but not in a way that would leave bruises. He seemed to be ever mindful of my body. Just that thought was what sent me over the edge, my body bucking with my spasms, having an orgasm with his cock inside me felt amazing. It had happened twice now, and I wondered why James would never let me experience that.

We lay spent on the bed for a moment, before Edward looked up at me, worry marring his face. I cupped his cheek, "This time I took advantage of you. You're obviously a boob man."

He snickered, hiding his face in my shoulder. I wound my fingers through his hair, holding him to me for a moment. I wanted him to stay with me. When I was with James, I was often relieved when he would go. I never understood that response toward James. I just figured it was because he was a little rough with me, and I was ready to rest once he was done with me.

The next morning, Edward was sent to my room to wake me. He kissed down my back, and I knew immediately by his gentle touch that it was him. "Why must you always sleep naked?" he asked as he climbed over my body. It was a shame that he was dressed. He pulled the covers down, exposing my body as his lips and his hand found my breasts. He pressed against my leg, making me smile. I was wanted.

My fingers played in his hair, as he lavished my breast. It wasn't long until he had me squirming under him. He was thrusting harder against me, and I finally begged him to touch me. His eyes snapped up to mine and stayed focused on me as his hand slid down south. He touched me lightly, testing the waters, before dipping into me. My reaction was strong, causing me to moan out his name.

He started to swear and quickly took his free hand to pop open his jeans. I grabbed his cock as it sprung free, and he seemed to sigh in relief. I stroked him lightly and then pulled him forward. "Do you want in?"

He gritted his teeth as I stroked him, "I do, but we don't have time for cleanup. They'll be looking for us in a few minutes."

I knew what he wanted. James would often pull me aside at school and pound into my mouth. He had to stay clean, but needed release, and that was what I was for.

"Use my mouth," I offered.

Edward's eyebrows nearly shot off his head. He swallowed hard and then looked around, as if someone else had said it.

"Well, are you going to fuck my mouth?" I asked scooting off the bed. I knelt down, waiting for him to stand before me. I wondered if he was going to push me against the wall like James did.

He scratched the back of his neck and glanced at the door, before he shifted his jean the rest of the way down. He confused me when he just sat on the edge of the bed and reached a hand out for me. He was breathing a little faster, and I could see his cock throbbing.

"Do you want to stand?" I asked.

He shook his head no.

All I could think was. 'Alright, but I'm not sure how this is going to work.'

I put my mouth on him, and his hand wove into my hair. He didn't yank, but cupped my cheek and carefully guided my face to and from him. There was no banging and no gagging. He let me set the pace and often brushed his thumb across my cheek.

His moans filled the room, and I worried the others in the house might hear. "Shit," he hissed as he pushed on my shoulder. I knew what that meant, and I forced him down my throat deep. I didn't mind swallowing, that was how I kept things clean. He grunted and cussed. I finally pulled back and licked his tip, making sure I got everything.

He fell back against my bed, panting hard, like he'd just run a mile.

"I'm gonna get dressed."

He didn't answer me, just gave me a thumbs-up and stayed on the bed, still hanging out. I had to admit he had some very impressive thighs. I shook that thought and dressed quickly. I was a little disappointed that he wasn't waiting for me once I was done getting dressed in my closet. Again, he didn't make eye contact at the table, and he didn't say a word on the drive to the school. It was like he completely shut off when we left our rooms.

Everyone paid attention to me at school, except for Edward.

Someone saw me looking at him and sneered, "Don't even consider Freakward. Some guy tapped his shoulder in the locker room and he went ballistic, ended up sending the guy to the hospital."

"Are you guys talking about the Psycho? Did you tell her about the time someone bumped into him in the lunch line, and he gut punched them and then slammed them against the wall?"

"What are you guys talking about?" I was confused. The Edward I knew was anything but violent.

"You know the freak. He went bat-shit crazy on the librarian, too. He was just trying to tell him it was time to go home," a third boy chimed in. I probably should've learned their names, but I really didn't care to speak to them, especially when they were talking about Edward like that.

"He seems really nice to me," I defended.

"Right, do you have any classes with him?"

I shook my head no.

"So you guys are chatting it up in the hallway?" jerk one teased.

"No," I said in a petulant tone.

"Right, I'm glad you're such good friends with your 'nice' buddy, Freakward."

Those guys really pissed me off. I stood up abruptly, nearly knocking my chair over, and tossed my tray at the trash. I glared at the boys at the table, who were all shocked.

I shook my head, fed up with them, and glanced at Edward. He was looking at me for once. He looked concerned. He didn't have to worry. I could handle myself.

While I was getting my stuff out my locker, the loud hall suddenly went quiet. I glanced up to see what was going on and saw Edward walking down the hall. Everyone parted like the red sea, and as soon as he turned down another hall, the noise resumed.

That was the craziest thing I had ever seen. _Why hadn't I noticed that before?_ I guessed I was just too wrapped up in finding my classes and getting settled in. I also realized that Edward always left me waiting. I always thought he was running late, and I'd sit on the bench under the awning by where he parked. The parking lot would empty, and I'd sit, do homework and catch up on reading. When people would ask if I needed a ride, I'd just point to the car and say, "I'm good."

I also noticed over the next week that we were always the first people in the school parking lot, and he was inside the school before I could even say two words to him. I wondered if the teachers ever spoke to him. When we were at home, Esme and Carlisle would speak to him. He would nod and mumble his answers when I was around.

I started sneaking around and realized he spoke rather comfortably with Esme and Carlisle. It was only when I was around did he clam up and mumble. It didn't seem to make sense. When we were alone, he would speak to me. Well, sort of. Honestly, we didn't talk much. It was probably because most of our encounters were in the bathroom, and I was naked. He really was a boob man. We didn't have sex anymore. He seemed to be trying to distance himself from me.

The only reason I knew he wasn't mad at me was by how he treated me when he would come get me for breakfast. He would always kiss my shoulder and drag his fingers down my back. He would whisper my name in my ear and kiss my neck. He would give my breast a good tweak and a lick, chasten me for not wearing clothes with a smile, and leave me to get dressed. As I said, he was totally a boob man. I also knew if I told him to not touch me, he wouldn't, but I had to admit, I liked the attention.

I'd had enough of his mixed signals and decided to take matters into my own hands. He obviously wasn't going to make any moves to change our relationship. The next day at lunch, I grabbed my tray and focused on Edward. I ignored all the looks and whispers as I approached him. I set my tray down, and he looked up at me, almost as if he was startled. He glared for a moment, but took a deep breath and nodded at me. I sat down, and we ate in silence. He would glance at me every once in a while and then around the room, glaring at everyone. I wanted to reach over and hold his hand. I wanted to tell him to calm down. He was on the defensive, and I wasn't sure why.

The cafeteria was starting to empty. He looked up at me, as if he was waiting for something to happen. I swallowed the last drink of my juice and pushed my tray aside. "Thanks for letting me eat with you." He just nodded at me, picked up my tray along with his own and left to dispose of them. I stepped out of the cafeteria and watched as he walked away. He glanced back and gave me a tight smile, before the permanent glare was fixed back in place. The hall went silent, and the people parted, letting him through. I was glad he didn't mind that I ate with him. I decided that was going to be my daily ritual.

Later that night, he came into my room after his shower. He had his towel wrapped around his hips. I would've thought he was ready for something more, except his expression looked troubled. "Bella, why did you eat with me today?"

I was surprised by his question, "Because I wanted to."

"Why didn't you eat with the guys you usually eat with?"

"Because they're assholes," I scowled this time.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked with concern. "I saw you storm off the other day."

"I just didn't like what they were saying."

"Were they saying shit to you? Were they being disrespectful? Do you need me to talk to them?" He looked ready to do more than talk. If the rumors were true, I didn't think those jerks would be walking away after Edward got his hands on them. I had to settle him down. I didn't want him getting into trouble.

"They were saying shit, but not about me. I just don't like them talking about people they don't know."

He let out a breath, "They were talking about me, weren't they?" He seemed so defeated.

"Yes, they were, I don't believe…"

He cut me off, "If it was about a kid in the lunch line, or the guy in the locker room going to the hospital, or the librarian, then it's true."

I let out a huff, "Edward, I don't care about that. I didn't like that they called you a freak and crazy. They made it sound like you were ready to kill someone."

He looked ashamed, and I couldn't have that. I walked over, pressing against him. "Edward, I know you've got problems, but that doesn't matter to me. I'll be eating lunch with you, and everyone will know we're friends."

He closed his eyes for a minute and gave me a frustrated look, "I'm not a good friend."

"Few people are, no worries," I said brushing him off. I grabbed my robe from the closet and slipped out of my room to the kitchen. I didn't want to give him a chance to argue with me. My mind was made up, and he wasn't changing it.

I found Edward had two expressions at lunchtime, annoyed and furious. Our conversations were one-sided, and I read the yes or no answers to questions I asked him by his expression; if he was just annoyed, then yes, if it was a furious glare, then the answer was no. Some days, I was sure he was just going to tell me to shut up, but he never did. People stared at us for the first week when I sat with him for lunch, but after that, they were used to me sitting there looking like I was talking to myself.

They still stayed quiet and gave him his space as he walked down the hall, but when he'd pass me, he'd give me a little head nod when I would smile and say hi.

Somehow, rumor got out that I was Edward's girl. I did nothing to quell it, because that meant all the horny obnoxious boys were suddenly afraid to talk to me. When I told Edward about it, he actually cracked a grin.

I would have thought our time together at school would have made us closer at home, but he had actually become more distant. He stopped his teasing wake-up calls and started to just give a few good pounds on the door. Our "run-ins'" in the bathroom ceased, too, and that cold feeling of being alone sank in again. I wanted to shake him and make him realize that I needed to be wanted by him. That I had to feel wanted, but I didn't anymore. My only hope was to wait for James now. I knew he would always want me.

It was two weeks later, after being completely ignored by Edward to the point that I had almost become despondent, when I heard the most wonderful sound. James was doing his birdcall from the woods. He used it to let me know he was there, and I would follow it, so I could be with him.

I perked up and hurried to the edge of the school grounds. I listened again and heard it coming from deep in the forest. I dropped my bag and ran towards it. When he came into view, I jumped into his arms. He laughed, catching me in his arms, and then kissing me hard.

"You found me," I said breathlessly as he nuzzled my neck.

"Yes, beautiful, I told you I'd always find you."

I pulled his lips down to mine, as he backed me up against a large rock. He squeezed my breast hard, making me cry out. He always liked it rough. He turned me around and squeezed my ass in such a way that I was sure to have handprint-shaped bruises. He was marking me. He always marked me, so everyone would know I was his. Of course, that was what got us in trouble. He had left a hand-shaped mark on my neck that I couldn't hide.

He yanked my hair back and bit me hard, drawing blood. He hurt me, but I knew he loved me. Why else would someone spend so much time looking for someone? He wanted me and only me. That just proved he loved me, so I would let him do what he wanted to me.

I felt him grab my neck and start to bite. "Careful," I warned. "We don't want them to know you're here. You don't want them to move me again, do you?"

"Fuck, baby, no talking."

He yanked down my jeans and smacked my ass hard, pinching roughly enough that it felt like he took skin. He spun me around and caught my face, grabbing my hair and pulling my head back, so he could bite my lip. I whimpered a little as he broke the skin. I would have a fat lip, but I knew how to hide that. Thankfully, it was cold here, so I could easily hide the bruises he was giving me. He gripped my arms, shoving me back hard. He yanked my shirt off, and then he shoved me down, scraping my back against the rock.

He opened his jeans and pulled them down just enough so I could see his cock. He pinned my hands over my head against the rock with one hand, scraping the backs raw, and I wondered if I still had my gloves. With his other hand, he grabbed a fistful of the top of my hair to position my head and slammed into my mouth. My head knocked against the rock. It hurt more than when it would hit the walls he usually used. After a few good hits, I started to see stars. I tried to pull away to tell him, but he got mad.

He jerked me up by my shoulders, throwing me down on the ground. "You don't want to please me? You don't want it now? You think you're better than me? You fucking little cunt, you're mine, you got that. This pussy is for me and only me. Now I'm putting it out of commission until you learn your lesson." He punched me hard enough several times between my legs, that I was worried he would break my pubic bone. He finally stopped and hovered over me. "You know I don't like punishing you like that, baby." He nuzzled my neck, kissing it softly. "You know I love you. I just need you to understand that you're mine, only mine, and you need to do what I want. I'll get you away from these crazy people, and we can be together. You make me so happy, baby." He bit my other shoulder hard, drawing more blood, and licking it gently. "You're mine." He kissed the mark he'd left, along with all the others. "You're so beautiful now with my marks. I can't wait to get you out of here." He threw my shirt at me, not helping me up off the ground. I dressed slowly, my body sore, but he made up for it by kissing my cheek and whispering that he loved me.

I walked slowly back to my bag. It felt like he had fucked me hard, but worse. At least there wasn't his sticky cum mess to clean up. I let my jeans sag a little, giving my bruised body space, and pulled my shirt down, so people wouldn't see that they were partly unbuttoned and unzipped. Thankfully, I had a sweater in my bag, so I could cover the marks he'd given me. I carefully brushed my hair, so it wouldn't look such a mess. My scalp was sore again, and I wished I had a mirror to make sure he hadn't pulled out any patches like he had before. I didn't feel any raw patches, so I was pretty sure I was good.

By the time I made it all the way back to school, it was letting out. I made my way over to the car and tried to look casual as I slid into my seat. I had gotten good at hiding my pain. Edward drove us him silently, but he looked furious.

Thankfully, Edward stormed upstairs, so I snuck into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of ice and a hand towel, then disappeared into my room. I folded the ice up in the towel, resting my head on it. I needed to keep the swelling down, so the bump wouldn't be as noticeable.

I hadn't been there long, when I heard a banging on my door.

"I'm doing homework!" I shouted closing my eyes, because it hurt.

I was laying there silent with my eyes closed, when I heard heavy breathing. When I opened my eyes, I saw Edward leaning over me. He looked even madder than earlier. "Where the fuck were you?"

"I needed to take a break."

"You're a fucking liar. I saw you jump into that guy's arms. Why would you do what you did with me, when you obviously have a boyfriend?"

Truth was I didn't have the answer. Edward was so different than James. The way he had touched me was completely opposite. He was soft and gentle. He seemed to want me to cum when we had sex. James always told me to hold it. He never wanted me to cum with him inside me. He showed me how to get off and told me to take care of it afterwards. Sometimes he watched, sometimes he would just leave, but he always kissed my cheek and said he loved me.

I guess Edward realized I wasn't going to answer. He stormed out, slamming my door.

It was starting to get late, and I needed to shower and get the dirt off my body and clean the bites and scrapes on my back. I made my way to the bathroom, undressing slowly. I turned the water on, but stood naked by the sink, taking inventory of what I would have to cover tomorrow. I closed my eyes, preparing myself to step in the shower. I knew the water would hurt like a bitch on my back, but it had to be done.

"What the fuck?"

I turned to see Edward standing behind me, looking over my body. I covered my breasts, trying to hide some of the bites and bruises. "Get out."

He didn't listen, just walked closer to me, "Did he rape you?"

"No, of course not, he loves me, he's my boyfriend. He's just a little rough. He doesn't know his own strength sometimes." At least that was what I kept telling myself. I was certain James didn't realize how much his marking me hurt. I quickly slipped into the shower and hissed as the water hit my back. I fought back the sobs, doing my best to remember if I'd seen painkillers in the medicine cabinet. I heard a rustle of the curtain and felt the water stop for a second as Edward stepped in, blocking it from me. I was ready to yell at him, until I felt a soapy washcloth gently dab my back.

"You shouldn't see him anymore, Bella. This isn't what people do when they love you."

"How would you know?" I snapped.

He let out a sigh, "You don't hurt the people you love, at least not on purpose. What he's done to you," he said tracing a bite mark, "It just isn't right."

"You bite me."

"That was a love bite," he said touching my neck where he had bitten me before. "It was done out of passion, and it didn't leave a mark."

I didn't have a good excuse for why James liked to bite me, other than the truth. "He likes to taste my blood, so he has some part of me with him when he's gone."

"Do you know how fucked up that sounds?"

"It's not fucked up, it's romantic."

"Who the hell told you that, your serial killer friend? It's fucked up, Bella, because they've been known to do the same damn thing."

"Just shut up."

"Bella," he turned me, taking me into his arms. "Why are you really with him?"

"He loves me."

I felt him kiss the top of my head, "Why do you believe he loves you when he hurts you like this?"

"He said he did. He says it all the time. He said he's coming back for me, and he's going to take me away from this place. He wants me so much, he follows me everywhere. He always finds me. That shows me he loves me. He doesn't push me away, and he doesn't ignore me. He claims me every chance he gets." I was fighting off tears. I wasn't sure I wanted to go with James anymore. I didn't want to leave Edward behind. He felt so different, but I wasn't enough for Edward. I knew I was enough for James. Besides, if James ever found out about what I had done with Edward, I knew it wouldn't be good. It was best if I left with James. At least then I knew I'd never be alone.

Edward grabbed my shoulders, much like James had, pushing me out to look me in the eyes. I flinched, and he released me, frowning when he saw the handprints James had left. "Bella, people lie. Haven't you ever been lied to?" he asked.

I didn't want to answer him. I didn't want to believe him. I shook my head no at him. "He loves me, he has to love me, he has to. He wouldn't follow me across the country if he didn't. I'm enough for him." If James really didn't love me, I wasn't sure what would happen to me when he finally took me away from here.

He tipped my chin up to look me in the eyes. "It doesn't matter if he doesn't really love you, Bella, there are other people in this world that do."

I couldn't fight the tears off anymore. They fell fast and poured hard, once he pulled me into his arms. "I don't want to be alone, Edward," I whimpered.

"I know," he whispered softly in my ear. "I know." I didn't feel like I was good enough for anyone else. I knew I was good enough for James.

That night, he took me to his bed, where he gave me pills for the pain, iced my bruises and bandaged the scrapes. His touches were so soft and gentle. The worry in his eyes as he handled me was sincere. The conversation from our shower swirled around in my head. I didn't know what to do. I had been certain James loved me. I wanted to believe that he did, but the way Edward looked at me and handled me, the way he worried over me, that felt different. It felt warm and right.

I gazed at his sleeping form, he had complained he was hot and had tossed his shirt off just before he dozed off. His broad, muscle-bound chest was just begging to be touched. I carefully traced down his body a few times, and then reached around to explore his back. I felt ridge after ridge across his skin, and I realized they weren't veins pushed out by his muscles, but scars. I stopped my light touching, pressing my hand flat against his back. He suddenly jumped and shouted, "Don't touch me, fucker!" He raised his fist, ready to strike me. I curled up and readied myself for the hit, but it never came. I heard a soft sobbing. I opened my eyes to see Edward kneeling at the side of the bed with his head down, hidden in the mattress. I heard a muffled, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

I gently ran my fingers through his hair, sitting up to kiss his cheek and whispered in his ear, "It's alright."

"No, it's not! I almost hit you, damn it. This is why I try and stay away from people. Sometimes I get jumpy and people get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt, Bella."

"I'm used to being hurt. What's one more bruise?" I said with a shrug, and his eyes darkened.

"You won't ever get one more bruise, not by anybody's hand," he said sternly.

I closed my eyes, knowing he couldn't be there all hours, and James would come for me soon. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me when I'm gone. Everything will be fine."

He stood up then, pacing and nearly growling, "Damn it, Bella, you can't go! You can't, he's going to kill you!"

"No, he won't, he loves me, Edward, and he isn't some serial killer like you think. He's just rough."

"Fuck that, you think I don't know? You're the one that doesn't know! You don't understand, Bella, it's going to get worse, and you're going to die."

"You can't know that!"

"Oh yeah? Why don't you ask my mother how her relationship turned out? My father supposedly loved her and was a little rough with her sometimes, too."

"It isn't your business to judge other people's relationships."

"NO? Are you sure about that? Why don't you talk to someone with experience like my mom? Oh wait, you can't, because SHE'S DEAD, Bella, my father loved her, but he was just a little too rough with her one night, and now she's dead." He fell to his knees and started to sob into his hands.

I quickly went to him, hugging him to my body. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

His arms wrapped around me as he pleaded, "Please, Bella, please promise me you won't see him again. Please promise me you'll stay away from him."

I closed my eyes, wishing I could. But I knew very well that I couldn't make that promise. James would always find me, no matter where I was. "I can't." He looked at me shocked. "He always finds me, Edward, there's no getting away. They've moved me eight times, three of which were to different states, and he always finds me."

He was suddenly off the floor and throwing on his boxers. He was out the door, before I could even ask what he was doing. I decided to go put some clothes on myself, so I could go find out what he was up to.

I had just pulled my t-shirt on when Mr. and Mrs. Cullen came walking in through the bathroom from Edward's room. "Bella, dear, Edward tells us that you were hurt today, and that Mr. Hunter has tracked you down again."

I looked down at the floor. Edward came forward and lifted my chin, "Fat lip with broken skin," he stated. I turned my head away. He pulled on my shirt collar, revealing one of my bite marks. "He drew blood here, too."

I swatted his hand away, turning my back on them. I couldn't face them right now, it was too fresh. That was a mistake, because he lifted my shirt, exposing my bruised and bandaged back. "She's going to have scars from this. She has more bruises and bite marks all over her body. You have to do something, Carlisle. He said he's coming back for her. If he takes her, he's going to kill her."

I could hear the fear in his voice.

I looked over my shoulder to see Mrs. Cullen had her arms wrapped around Edward. "It's going to be alright. Carlisle will take her to the hospital, and the police will make a report. They'll find him, and he'll go to jail. She'll be safe, Edward, I promise."

I was nervous about going with Dr. Cullen, but he promised that a lady would do the exam. He didn't try to touch me; he just smiled kindly and motioned with his arm as we walked down the halls of the hospital, so I wouldn't get lost.

The woman who was my doctor told me to call her Kate. She gave me the gown herself, after explaining what she was going to do, coming back a few minutes later. She made a record of the marks she could see and then she asked me to move different parts of the gown, so she could write down what had been hidden. She eventually removed the bandages from my back, promising to replace them. She assessed the damage, marked it down and then covered them with a wonderful cream that dulled the pain, before she bandaged them again.

She finally went out to get the officer, who was also a woman. I didn't like that she had a camera. "Don't worry, honey. I'm only taking a few pictures, and no one but a judge will see them. You have enough damage that just the record of them, along with a few pictures, will convince any judge." I closed my eyes, bracing myself for it all. I wasn't sure I was ready to fight James. He would be so mad when he finally got his hands on me.

After a few pictures and a short recount of what had happened that afternoon, I was finally able to get dressed. Dr. Cullen came in and once again gave me my space with a kind smile and led me out to the car. We were almost there, when I felt it, the hand over my mouth and the arms tight around me.

Dr. Cullen must have heard the scuffle, because he turned in time to see James throw me into his car and speed off.

"What the fuck were you doing at the hospital? You were the one giving me shit about where I marked you, and now you go and fuck around with some damn doctors?"

"It wasn't my fault. Another kid came in my room, saw them and told. I didn't want to do it, James. They made me," I begged, hoping he wouldn't be so mad. Maybe he wouldn't hurt me as badly.

He turned off onto a dirt road and drove down it silently. I knew that silence was never good with James. That always meant he was making plans. I took a deep breath and leaned towards him, "I missed you. Thank you for coming for me."

He closed his eyes, exhaling loudly, before he turned his stormy eyes on me. "What am I going to do with you, girl?" He cupped my face and kissed my lips, breaking open my cut again.

I felt him lap up my blood, and then he pulled back with a smile. "Don't worry, baby, I'm not going anywhere, and you're going to make it up to me, aren't you?"

I smiled and nodded yes, doing my best to hide my fear. When we reached the little cabin, I hopped out of the truck, giving him a wide grin. "This is beautiful," I said taking in our surroundings. I figured it didn't hurt to kiss a little ass. I slid my arm around him and let him guide me inside.

"This place is off the grid, so they'll never find us, baby. It's just you and me, finally."

The cabin was one room, with a large bed in the middle. There was a fireplace in the corner, and when I looked outside, I could see there was an outhouse, and on the other side was a little creek. I guessed that was the bathroom.

"Strip, I want to see my marks," he ordered.

I did so quickly, because I'd learned long ago that you didn't do anything slowly with James, unless he said to. He walked around me, touching each of my bruises and bites. When he came to my back, he let out a growl and then ripped off the bandages.

"You don't let anyone cover what I've done to you." He slapped my injured back, and I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out. He walked around and smiled at me. "You know what's so wonderful? Now that I have you to myself, we don't have to worry about hiding my marks. You'll get to wear them proudly." At that, he backhanded me, knocking me to the floor. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me up. "Now one for the other side." He hit me again, knocking me down once more. I took a few deep breaths to keep from crying. He hated crying.

He gave me a grin, and I finally recognized it for what it was, after Edward had finally enlightened me. He was evil. He grabbed me by my neck, squeezing hard. "Your neck will be gorgeous," he whispered in my ear, and then he bit just under it, drawing blood, as he choked me. I started seeing spots. I knew I'd lose consciousness at any moment. I knew that would make him angry as well, so I fought to stay awake. Just as I was on the verge of blacking out, he threw me back on the bed. "Perfect, just like a work of art."

He removed his jeans and was climbing on top of me, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself for what was to come. Suddenly, James was gone, and I heard scuffling, grunting and swearing, so I peeked to see what was going on. There were cops inside the cabin, and they had James pinned to the floor. The female officer from the hospital hurried forward, wrapping me in the blankets. "I've got you," she whispered. I hadn't even realized I was crying, until she started wiping my tears. I held onto her tightly, sobbing hard on her shoulder and listened as they dragged James out of the cabin.

"How did you find me?" I asked grateful that she had.

"Dr. Cullen came running in just as I was leaving the hospital. I was able to follow you undetected and called for back-up." She touched my sore cheeks, "I'm so sorry I couldn't get in here sooner."

I tried to smile to tell her it was okay, but it hurt. I just leaned my head on her shoulder instead. Someone came running in, and when I looked up, I found the Cullen's and Edward standing there anxiously, waiting to see if I was alright. Edward's eyes darted up and down me, and then he just dove onto the bed and pulled me from the officer's arms. "Thank God, oh, thank God. I thought I'd lost you."

I fresh wave of tears overwhelmed me, and I held onto him for dear life. He lifted me off the bed and carried me out of the cabin. Dr. Cullen opened the door for him, and we slid into the car. What happened next shocked me. Mrs. Cullen reached back and squeezed Edward's hand. "I knew you were just what she needed. That's why I moved you up to that room. I hope you aren't upset about it anymore."

Edward let out a breath and shook his head no. "You always said God put me through that so I could help others. I didn't believe it until now." He looked down at me, and I snuggled deeper into his side.

"Thank you, for saving me," I whispered up to him.

The ride home was silent, but once inside, Esme led me up to my room, re-bandaged my back, and helped me get dressed. Edward came in with new ice packs. "Bella," Esme carefully cupped my face, "You were given this challenge in life, and now you've come out of it stronger, just like God knew you would."

I wasn't sure if I believed in God, but I believed someone had brought me here with Edward.

"I know you don't see it now, but this experience could be considered a gift, and you should seriously think about sharing it with others. When you see someone else who needs help like you did, you can help them be strong, so they can get out of trouble and be safe." She kissed the top of my head and slipped out of the room.

Edward carefully sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around me as I leaned into him. "Thank you," I whispered again.

"You know, I never believed Esme, when she said that to me. I thought she was spouting bullshit. I was so pissed when they moved me to a new room, especially one where I had to share a bathroom. Thank God she did. She knew what she was doing when she paired us up." He kissed my temple. "My social worker said the Cullen's were a special pair, but I didn't believe it, until now."

I felt tears against my cheek, and it took me a moment before I realized they weren't just mine. "Thank God," he whispered again. When I looked into his eyes, I saw relief, and love. I finally recognized it for what it was. He was messed up, but he loved me. We had a lot of work to do. We needed to learn how to handle a relationship the right way, but with time, I was sure we'd be okay.

It was five years and a lot of therapy later, when Dr. Cullen walked me down the aisle to Edward. We both had scars, but we wore them proudly, both of us having survived our nightmares. We had thrived together, and we had helped others over the years. Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice were all our foster siblings and they all were alive, because Edward and I weren't afraid to tell our story. We weren't afraid to help others.

Our vows were short and sweet, both our hearts full of love, real love, and now we had pledged to love each other for forever. Forever was what I wanted, and we both knew we deserved a happy ending that had been given to us.


End file.
